“All I knew is it would be the most important smoky eye I’d do,” says Sir John of his first makeup trial with Beyoncé in 2010.

Now one of the world’s most sought-after makeup artists, Sir John has been by Beyoncé’s side ever since for nearly every album, tour, and major red-carpet event (he also works with clients like Priyanka Chopra and Karlie Kloss in between). “Bey’s like my sister,” he says. “I’m the last person she sees before performing in a stadium filled with 80,000 people, and she feels comfortable knowing I’m obsessing over every little detail.”

Sir John, celebrity makeup artist and consummate visionary, uses the power of cosmetics to exalt women to their higher impact. Upon joining the L’Oréal Paris brand as Consulting Celebrity Makeup Artist in April 2015, Sir John is now able to empower even more women to become their most beautiful selves. By helping women translate professionally-inspired looks from the runway and red carpet to life’s every day red carpet moments, Sir John encourages women to be their own makeup designer at home.

At his core, Sir John considers himself an artist. Immersed in visual and performing arts throughout his early school years, he then concentrated in art history, print-making and sculpture in college. Gaining a firm grasp on different mediums like brush strokes and nuances of color and shading, this innate understanding eventually led him to makeup artistry. He grew up in a time where iconic 90’s supermodels were the faces taking over runways and splashed across the pages of magazines. They were glamorous, exquisite and impactful, owning an undeniable influence and serving as boundless sources of inspiration for the then-budding professional.
After he moved to New York City, Sir John’s makeup career took off after meeting celebrated makeup artist Pat McGrath. She immediately took the rising talent under her wing as her assistant and within a few days, Sir John found himself on a plane to Milan armed with a brand new passport. The weeks and months that followed were laden with international Fashion Week runway shows and collaborations with fashion greats Mario Testino, Steven Meisel and Naomi Campbell. One year later, at Tom Ford’s Spring 2011 runway show, Sir John met Beyoncé Knowles. Following an “OMG” phone call to his mom, the rest, as they say, is history. Soon after, Sir John embarked on his solo career and eventually signed on as the global megastar’s official makeup artist for her two consecutive world tours, not to mention lending his artistry to her self titled visual album.

Crediting Beyoncé as his artistic muse, the relationship catapulted Sir John’s industry presence. He further solidified his role as a respected backstage mainstay in fashion and began to give a voice to his work by writing and contributing to esteemed publications such as Vogue Italia, Style.com, Models.com, The Coveteur. InStyle and Teen Vogue. His signature versatility and creativity has made him the go-to for elite red carpet events like the MET Gala, a personal favorite because of his ability to truly translate a woman’s persona into a show-stopping look.
Today, Sir John is based in New York City and maintains his self-proclaimed “foodie” status through cooking, eating and traveling. For Sir John, physical fitness is also a major component of everyday life. He loves storyboarding and renovations — and anything else that gives him a chance to produce a spectacular before and after. An early adopter of social media, Sir John remains in touch with supporters and followers with what he considers a “gem of a platform” to give up-and-coming artists an inside peek into the process in an otherwise invisible arena- an invaluable perspective that was lacking in his early career. His regular celebrity clients include Liya Kebede, Chrissy Teigen, and Joan Smalls.